Augmented Reality (AR) provides a view of a real-world environment that is augmented with computer-generated audio and/or visual content. The audio and/or visual content can be overlaid over or integrated into an image or video of the real-world environment captured using a camera of a mobile device, or displayed on a transparent or semi-transparent screen through which a user is viewing the real-world environment. For example, an augmented reality application may be implemented on a mobile phone or tablet computer that includes a camera that can be used to capture images or video of a view of the real-world environment and a display that can be used to display an augmented view of the real-world environment, and/or on a head-mounted display (HMD).
The device can include one or more sensors that collect data that can be used to determine the position, orientation, speed, and/or direction of movement of the device. This information can be used to assist the device in generating augmentation content. The sensors can also be used to collect input information from a user, such as touchscreen selections or other input information that can be used to allow the user to navigate the augmented content displayed on the device.
In a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) system (e.g., AR, robotics, etc.), typically there is a known reference target in the environment, e.g., in a field of view of a camera. If no known reference target is in the environment, a coordinate system for the SLAM may be defined arbitrarily. For example, the pose (position and orientation) of the camera when tracking begins may be used to define the coordinate system for the SLAM.